A Profile of Adolescent Alcohol Offenders in Two Rural Midwestern Counties

Abstract

Screening tools specifically developed for use with adolescents may be more sensitive predictors of relapse or recidivism than self-report inventories typically used to screen adults. 70 adolescents in a program for drunk drivers in two counties in southeastern Nebraska were given both the CRAFFT and the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test questionnaires during routine alcohol-dependency evaluations. The Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test was also given to 28 subjects selected at random. 11 boys and 6 girls did not successfully complete the program. Significant correlations obtained for AUDIT scores for both the CRAFFT ( r69 = .65, p <.01) and failure to complete diversion ( r69 = .23, p <.05). Subjects were grouped by age (18 and younger and over 18 years) and by sex. A 2 × 2 analysis of variance for scores on the AUDIT indicated significant main effects for both age ( F1,66 = 4.86, p <.05) and sex ( F1,66 = 5.96, p <.01). MAST and CRAFFT scores showed no age or sex differences. The AUDIT might be included in drug and alcohol assessments with similar samples of adolescents.